The annual Thanksgiving morning tradition is back, as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade returns with more floats, gigantic balloons and festive performances than ever before.
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The parade (8:30 a.m. ET/PT start time) will be televised live on NBC, but if you don’t have cable, you can watch a live stream for free on FuboTV or DirecTV Stream.
Here’s how:
FuboTV
You can watch a live stream of NBC and 100-plus other live TV channels on FuboTV, which comes with a free seven-day trial:
Once signed up for FuboTV, you can watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the FuboTV app or FuboTV website.
Compatible devices for the FuboTV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
DirecTV Stream
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” NBC is included in all of them, and you can pick any package and any add-on you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the DirecTV Stream app or DirecTV Stream website.
Compatible devices for the DirecTV Stream app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Peacock TV
If you’ve used up all your free trials for other streaming services, the cheapest way to watch the parade is on Peacock TV’s Premium plan, which is normally $5.99 per month but is currently offering a Black Friday deal of $1.99 per month for 12 months:
Once signed up for Peacock, you can watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live on the Peacock TV app or Peacock TV website.
Compatible devices for the Peacock TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Sling TV
If you’ve used up all your free trials, Sling TV is the next cheapest option after Peacock TV. NBC (live in select markets) is included in the “Sling Blue” bundle, which is just $20 for your first month:
Once signed up for Sling TV, you can watch watch the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade live, on-demand or on DVR (if you record it) on the Sling TV app or Sling TV website.
Compatible devices for the Sling TV app include Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One or Series X/S, Samsung TV, LG TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), airTV Mini, Oculus, Portal, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade 2023 Preview
Academy Award and Grammy-winning actress/singer Cher will be the headliner at the parade this year. The legendary performer is promoting a new Christmas album and will be singing a holiday-themed tune from it. Another Grammy winner, Jon Batiste, will kick things off with the first musical performance of the day.
The 2.5 mile parade is expected to run approximately 3.5 hours. “Today” show co-hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker are set to host once again.
“It’s our job not only to continue to evolve the tradition from a theatrical and artistic standpoint, but from an overall impact standpoint. You know, how are we going to continue to inspire the next generation of parade goers and viewers and fans,” Will Cross, executive producer of the parade, said about the annual Thanksgiving tradition.
“I don’t know one person that I’ve ever encountered that isn’t watching the parade on Thanksgiving morning in some way, shape or form while they’re cooking and getting ready for their family to be there. Sitting down to make sure that they’re catching the [Radio City Rockettes] performance or Santa’s sleigh to arrive. It’s something that is just so ingrained, I think, in American culture,” Kathleen Wright, director of production operations at the Macy’s Parade Studio, said.
Who Will Be Appearing in the Parade?
Celebrities scheduled to perform and/or appear are:
- Bell Biv DeVoe
- Brandy
- Chicago
- En Vogue
- Enhypen
- David Foster and Katharine McPhee
- Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors
- Jessie James Decker
- Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells of “Gutenberg! The Musical!”
- Ashley Park with “Sesame Street” Muppets
- Pentatonix
- Paul Russell
- Amanda Shaw and Alex Smith
- Manuel Turizo
The Balloon lineup is slated to include:
- Acorn
- Bluey
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid
- Goku
- Grogu — aka ‘Baby Yoda’ from “The Mandalorian”
- Ice Cream Cone
- Opening Macy’s Stars
- Paw Patrol
- Pillsbury Doughboy
- Pikachu and Eevee
- Pumpkins
- Red Titan from Ryan’s World
- Ronald McDonald
- Sinclair’s Dino
- Smokey the Bear
- Snow Crystal Ornaments
- Spongebob and Gary
- Stuart the Minion
- Tip Toe
Broadway musicals represented include:
- “& Juliet”
- “Back to the Future: The Musical”
- “How To Dance In Ohio”
- “Shucked”
- “Spamalot”
Floats include: 1-2-3 Sesame Street, Elf Pets, McDonald’s Big Red Shoe Car, Magic Meets the Sea, Baby Shark, the WonderShip, Geoffrey’s Dazzling Dance Party, Celebration Gator and of course, Tom Turkey.
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Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Live Stream: How to Watch for Free